Speak No Evil (2024) is a remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name – and like all remakes, it chooses to take some liberties to create its version of the story. Below you’ll find a breakdown of Speak No Evil’s (2024) major plot twist, and how the ending of the film compares to the 2022 Danish Original. Obviously, we can’t discuss all that without MASSIVE SPOILERS about the plot of Speak No Evil, so only read on once you’ve seen the film, or if you want to know.
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The plot of Speak No Evil sees the Dalton Family of America – Ben (Scott McNairy), Louise (Mackenzie Davis), and daughter Agnes (Alix West) – form a fast (and ultimately doomed) friendship with a UK couple, Paddy (James McAvoy), Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and their mute son, Ant (Dan Hough). When the Dalton’s go for a weekend at Paddy and Ciara’s farm in the English countryside, they begin to unravel a dark mystery about their hosts…
Speak No Evil’s Plot Twist Explained
As the Daltons spend the weekend at the farm, they begin to notice that their hosts are much more erratic and unstable than they initially appear to be – especially when parenting their son. When Paddy and Ciara take an unhealthy interest in Agnes, it begins raising alarms for Ben and Louise; however, Agnes has all the alarm bells go off when Ant eventually sneaks away with her and reveals a hidden basement under a stable house.
In that basement are the luggage and possessions of dozens of families who came to the farm before the Daltons. Ant shows Agnes a photo album that confirms the horrifying truth: Paddy and Ciara are serial killers who have operated for years, luring families with one child to their farm and murdering the parents, forcing the orphaned child to be a part of their twisted “family.” Eventually, Paddy and Ciara would tire of their “kid,” murdering the child and replacing them with a new one. Ant reveals that the couple cut out his tongue so that he could never tell the truth and that he’s fighting for his life, as Agnes has been brought to the farm to replace him.
Speak No Evil (2024) Ending Explained
The Final Act of Speak No Evil sees Agnes and Ant tell Ben and Louise the truth about the danger they’re in. The Daltons try to make a polite exit from the farm, with plans to steal Ant away at the last second, as well – but Paddy and Ciara are too savvy for that, and trapping the family on the farm and stalking them for the kill.
In the end, Louise and Ben are forced to make a last stand in Paddy and Ciara’s farmhouse. Louise kills Paddy and Louise’s accomplice, Chef Mike (Kris Hitchen), with a hammer blow to the head while he’s fighting Ben; Louise also kills Ciara, hitting her over the head and letting her fall to her death after Ciara pursues them onto the roof of the house. When the Daltons and Ant make it to the ground, Paddy holds Agnes at gunpoint, confirming that Ciara was one of the original orphans he brainwashed into his service and that with her dead, Agnes will have to serve as his new “wife.” Fortunately, Agnes held onto the syringe of Ketamine that Paddy previously tried to drug her with, and injects the madman with it, paralyzing him. Ben ultimately decides not to go the wrathful route and kill Paddy – but Ant has no such mercy left in him. Ant takes a rock and bashes Paddy’s face into a pulp.
The film ends with the Daltons driving away from the farm, with Agnes giving her all-important stuffed bunny rabbit for a blood-covered Ant to hold.
Speak No Evil (2024): How the Remake Changes the Original
The original Speak No Evil Danish Film (2022) has a much darker Final Act. In that version, it’s the father (Bjørn instead of “Ben”) who discovers the killers’ ‘trophy room,” as well as their “son” Abel drowned in the pool. Bjørn chooses not to reveal the truth to his wife and daughter, instead hurrying them into the car for a hasty escape. Unfortunately, Bjørn’s car breaks down on the road, and by the time he returns on foot from searching for help, the Paddy character (“Patrick”) has tracked them down and captured his wife and daughter.
In the end of the original film, Louise is forced to watch the killers hold her daughter Agnes down and cut out her tongue; Bjørn and Louise are taken a deserted road and forced to undress and get into a ditch. Patrick gives the same line as in the US version, which is that he is doing all this “Because you let me,” before he and his wife (“Karin”) stone Bjørn and Louise to death and bury their bodies.
Speak No Evil (2022) ends with the killers forcing a mute Agnes to play the role of their “daughter,” as we see the group happen upon a new family they will target next.
The original Speak No Evil and the remake clearly have different outcomes that are largely based on culture. The Danish original isn’t afraid to give viewers a dark and tragic ending; the Hollywood version clearly wanted to go more traditional by “punishing the evildoers,” and making sure there was a happy(ish) ending for the Daltons’
Of course, Speak No Evil (2024) did explore a deeper theme, questioning whether or not parental influence is ultimately good or bad for a child. The ending of the film is far from “happy,” as director James Watkins makes sure to visually emphasize that Ant will never fully be free of the darkness that Paddy and Ciara exposed him to; in fact, based on his violent act of killing Paddy, it’s hinted that Ant could be destined to become a killer like his “parents.”
Speak No Evil is now playing in theaters.
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